Black and Blue
by Grace of the Feathered Pen
Summary: I scream into my pillow in pure agony. My back arches and cracks off the bed feeling as though a knife is cutting through my skin. I am very hot, but I can't get up to open the window. In the distance I hear the sound of glass breaking, but when I try to turn my head to the source of the sound I am met with a bright light. I hear the deep laugh of a man before I black out again.


_**Black and Blue**_

_And I've been meaning to say this to you_

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><p><strong>Sunday January 1<strong>**st**** 1837**

"Katherine, where pray tell are you going now?" My older sister Elizabeth inquires with bright green intellectual eyes trained on my face. She may be responsible for my well-being, but that doesn't mean she is interested in it. Her blonde hair is clipped back into an elegant bun with an emerald ribbon weaving through, accentuating her eyes, and matching her dress. She looks as clean and crisp as always. I feel intimidated by her piercing stare and attempt to smooth out my pink dress and adjust the ribbon to make it more even.

"Well, I was planning on going to church- which I was going to ask if you and Nicholas would like to attend- and then perhaps spend my evening with Skylar and Riley, as I always do." I explain slowly, hoping she will understand, as she has never been fond of my brother and I. When mother and father adopted Nicholas and me we were the dolls of the family; the precious jewels. We grew up close, and mother and father treasured us, we were always treated like the special guests. Elizabeth always felt left out, but she really has no reason; Elizabeth, mother and father's blood daughter, has always been giving everything she has ever wanted. She is the heiress, the first-born, and Nicholas and I are just the charity case.

"Fine. I will go see if Nicholas is ready." Elizabeth, with a twirl of her skirt and the echoing click of her heels up the marble staircase, disappears before my eyes and I finally allow myself to relax. She believes everything has to be on point and perfect even in the sanctity of our own manor. I take this moment of her absence to fix myself in the mirror, relishing in this moment of vanity, but necessity for it is a firm belief that if I do not look pretty, I will never get a husband and I will be shunned from the rest of society, more than I am already.

My burgundy hair is twisted up in a bun, with a white rose pinned to the side. Long lashed, indigo eyes stand out against alabaster skin, accented by pink cheeks and cherry lips. My shoulders stand bare under the lacy short sleeves. More clicking sounds from down the hall from above me and begins to descend down the stairs, so I tear my eyes away from the image of myself on the wall, favoring the painted portrait of our family before mother and father passed away.

Antoine, with his brown hair and green eyes stares lovingly at Marie with her face fixed with a smile as she watches her three children play together. Marie's blonde curly hair is pinned tight against her head exposing green eyes exactly like Elizabeth's. Elizabeth even then showed a great resemblance to our mother. I was twelve when this picture was painted, making Elizabeth fifteen and Nicholas nine. Nicholas' orange hair was shorter then, but he started growing it out again when he turned ten. The painter had a true talent if he was able to capture the expressiveness in my brother's eyes while maintaining his stoic facial expressions.

The clicking comes to an end and I feel a hand on my shoulder. Turning around I am met with the deep sapphire eyes of my biological brother. His hair is combed back and he is dressed smartly in black slacks, a white long sleeved shirt and gray vest. A black jacket, and a white coat are draped over his left arm. Without saying a word he holds the white coat open and I accept by slipping my arms through the sleeves. He puts on his own jacket before helping Elizabeth into her brown fur coat.

"Thank you." I say when he has returned at my side, to which he only responds with a slight nod. He walks ahead of me and opens the door, effectively letting in a gust of the frigid winter air. Silently I step forward out the door and onto the porch. Elizabeth files behind me and takes the lead, not waiting for Nicholas to close the door before she is down the steps and walking towards the carriage where the driver stands waiting with the door open and palm outstretched for her to take.

Nicholas offers me his arm and I link up with him as we walk down the snowy steps together, careful to avoid the ice-stricken path. Both Nicholas and the driver help me into the carriage before Nicholas climbs in behind me, taking the seat next to mine, across from Elizabeth. I turn to my side to look out the window as we drive, staring at the white crystals floating through the air. The soft powdery snow looks tempting and I wish I could jump in it now, but I must wait. _Later. Later with Riley and Skylar we can do everything _I _want to do._

Elizabeth does not like Skylar and Riley, especially since I am not courting either. I have never been the proper lady Elizabeth and society thinks I should be. I enjoy doing boyish activities as well, running and talking out of turn. I like to be part of the boys. They call me a tomboy, and while that may be true it does not make it any easier for me. My family has been given grief for the fact that I wear britches and use a voice louder than the soft lilt of a ladybird. I am seen as a monster in society when I am with the boys. Only when I am with Nathalia, Shira and Acacia am I seen as human. I have been asking the boys to teach me how to fight, but so far we have not gotten to that point.

The carriage pulls to a stop and the door opens, inviting the freezing air to press against my skin again. Elizabeth steps out first with the help of the driver, and I follow close behind, followed by Nicholas. I flash the driver a smile, which he responds with one of his own. Frederick is a nice man who has worked for this family even before I was born and adopted into this family fourteen years ago.

Before entering the cathedral I walk over to my pure white mare I named Hickory that mother and father bought for me when I turned seven. I rub her nose affectionately once before turning around and walking the cobblestone steps up to the church entrance. I love church; I find it to be a sanctuary. The vaulted ceiling rests way above my head making me feel as small as a mouse. Archways line the dark walls, candles lighting the entire way up to the alter with a beautiful organ behind it.

Elizabeth picks one of the many rows of pews to sit in and slides all the way to the left, allowing room for Nicholas and I. We pray silently as more families fill the room. I locate the Strife's, the Gray's, the North's and the Heart's and wave a little to my friends. Skylar's twin sister Colette offers me a small smile and I smile back slightly larger. I hear a cough from my side and look to see Elizabeth glaring at me. I turn back around and resume my prayers.

_Dear God, thank you for all you have given me. Thank you for providing me with care and loving support through my times of need. Thank you for sparing my life from my parents' murderer. Please continue to guide me as I continuously try to prove my worth to you. Please protect my remaining family and friends from the dangers of life created for as long as I do good._

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><p>Author's Notes: So here is my new fan fiction for the series <em>Sinfully Pure.<em> All of the characters have "code names" in this story. I'm sorry for the very religious theme of this, but if you don't like it, please do not read it. The whole series is very religious, as in this is not a one-time thing. It will continuously be religious. Here is the list of characters for those who have not figured it out yet. I don't know should I keep the characters in these code names or under what conditions should they go by their other names?

Katherine- Kairi

Nicholas- Neku

Elizabeth- She isn't anyone. I made her up.

Skylar- Sora

Riley- Riku

Nathalia- Naminé

Shira- Xion

Acacia- Aqua

Katie's Comments:"Katherine..." -Twinning.

"...Riley..." -I love that name- wait. Isn't that a girl's name? -It can be a guys. -You know what? I don't care.

"...in the sanctity of our own manor." -So she's rich. I like her better already.

"...burgundy..." -Our walls are burgundy, so that makes her hair like black (I pull up a picture of burgundy.) -No, it's like this. -That's blood red.

"...walking towards the carriage where the driver stands waiting with the door open and palm outstretched for her to take." -So their fancy. That's disgusting.


End file.
